Breaking Down Chemical Weapons #490
September 07, 2018
It sounds like something out of a spy novel: an ex-spy is poisoned on a park bench, or a dictator's brother is sprayed in the face with a chemical weapon and dies. But these are real life events, and they are the result of chemical weapons. What are these chemicals, how do the work, and what on Earth do people do about them? We're talking with chemist Chris Cramer about his expertise, getting rid of chemical weapons.
Related links:
- Nerge agent attack on spy used 'Novichok' poison, on c&en
- Novichok poisoning breakthrough as original container found, on Chemistry World
- Decontamination of chemical warfare agents, on Chemical Reviews
- Prescence vs. proximity: the role of pedant amines in the catalytic hydrolysis of a nerve agent simulant
Guests:
- Christopher Cramer
Guest Bios
Christopher Cramer
Christopher Cramer is a chemist at the University of Minnesota. Formerly, he was a chemist with the United States Army, where we worked on how to remediate, or get rid of, chemical weapons. Now his lab uses theoretical models to break down chemical agents, including nerve agents such as sarin gas.
